Come and Find Me
by interlocutress
Summary: Stuck in a river during a rainstorm, Akira Hoshi is saved by the stranger Sasuke Uchiha who just happened to be passing by. How will she treat him, and how will he, in turn, treat her? / One-Shot.


Akira waded knee-deep through the thick, mucky lake waters in a desperate attempt to get to the other side. Her arms stuck out precariously to try and help her keep balance. Every time she took a step she felt her foot get sucked into the muddy ground beneath her. A scowl soured her rosy lips, genuinely and thoroughly disgusted by the predicament she was in. She felt the first raindrop halfway across, and it was within a matter of seconds that a torrential downpour was beating against her. "Seriously?!" she shouted into the air miserably, pausing for a moment just to appreciate how unfair her life was in that moment.

Falling back into her reality she continue to take sloshy, heavy steps with her green eyes squinting to see through the harsh rain. Just as she was about to make it to the other bank her foot was suctioned in a bit too deeply by the mud and she lost her stability, wobbling for a minute before awkwardly falling forward. The upper half of her body landed out of the waters and onto solid ground, while everything below the navel remained submerged in the lake's algae-infested grasp. "Oh come on," she groaned as she tried to yank her foot free of the Earth's tight vice. "Just let me go!"

"Here." Akira jumped at the sudden sound of another person's voice. Twisting her body to see behind herself she shielded her eyes from the rain and looked up. A figure cloaked in black with their hood drawn up and an umbrella in one hand offered their free hand out to her. She didn't even hesitate to take the offer. The stranger took a tight grip of her hand before quickly and sufficiently pulling her free and back onto her feet.

"Thank you so much," the green eyed girl breathed with a wide smile, coming to stand beneath the small covering the stranger held. "Who knows how long I would've been out here if you hadn't come along. What's your name friend?"

"Uchiha Sasuke. What were you doing out here in the first place?" After having wiped the rain from her eyes Akira could now see the man more clearly and felt a fluttering in her abdomen from his radiance.

"I could be asking you the same thing," she teased, but he didn't so much as crack a smile. Not being put off by his seriousness she continued on. "I was just trying to make it to the next village – got chased out of the last one I was in. I'm Hoshi Akira by the way. It's nice to meet you!" Sasuke eyed the short woman for a minute, mulling over her response and why she would've been "chased out" of anywhere. "We can talk better once we get to some shelter, wouldn't you agree? Come on then!" she chimed, leaving him with no more time to think and guiding him randomly into the woods.

"The nearest village is actually _this _way," the handsome young man corrected, steering them opposite the way she'd tried to guide them. A smile grew on her face and brought a glow to her cheeks, despite the way the element worked against her.

"I'd be lost without you Sasuke. Thanks for finding me." A tsk escaped out from between the Uchiha's teeth, his stare diverting opposite her.

"It's not as if I'd been looking for you," he scolded with a hint of underlying cruelty. He didn't particularly care for how chummy she was being, but wouldn't have felt right leaving a young woman in the rain with dusk just around the corner.

"Maybe not," she hummed with the shrug of her shoulders, unfazed by his callousness. "But you _did _find me, and that's all that really matters." Sasuke didn't respond, feeling slightly put-off by her remark. They walked the rest of the way to the village in silence, the sound of rain so loud it even drowned out their own thoughts.

Sasuke led her to the Inn that he and the rest of Team Hebi had been staying in and directed her to the check-in counter in the main lobby. "Get a room for yourself and dry off, you'll catch a cold staying in those clothes," he stated matter-of-factly before turning to make his way back to his own room.

"Pay for a room? With what money?" she scoffed in genuine humor. Anyone who had even the slightest idea of who Akira was knew that she was as poor as the dirt outside. "I'll just find a covering outside somewhere, I'll be fine. Thanks for showing me to this village though – you really saved me some time!" Sasuke had stopped now and was again turned to face the woman. Her straight white teeth poked out from behind her lips as she grinned pleasantly. "Have a good one Sasuke." She waved and began to make her way back out the exit of the building when Sasuke stopped her.

"Come on, you can wait out the storm in my room." Again, there was no hesitation for Akira to accept his offer.

"That's awfully nice of you; I'm sure I won't be here long. I think it'll pass quickly." Sasuke didn't respond, only led her to his room with silent appreciation that none of his other team members noticed his return. Finding a towel in the bathroom he handed it to the woman.

"I don't have any clothes for you to change into, but you could ask the front desk if they have something." Akira nodded solemnly, toweling off her hair and wiping down her face.

"Good idea; I'll be back in a minute." Sasuke watched her leave before sighing. Sitting down at the edge of his bed he put his head in his hands and just breathed. Even with all this anguish and hatred and rage built up like ashes inside of him, he still had a small spec of cleanness that his mother had left behind. _Never turn your back on a girl in need, especially one's that can't help themselves. _He remembered her lesson clear as day in his mind, and though he may not have always done the best job of following that rule he did make efforts where it was convenient. Even in death, if in the smallest way, he'd like to think he made her proud.

"Isn't this nice Sasuke? This robe's so soft!" Akira's voice came tumbling into the sanctity of his thoughts as she pushed back into the room clad in a white drape that came mid-calf. Discarding her wet clothes into the sink in an uncared for heap she waltzed over and took a seat beside him. "So you never did tell me what you were doing out there," she started up, her voice now much softer and almost relaxing.

"I was going for a walk."

"In the middle of a thunderstorm?"

"It hadn't been when I left…"

"Why did you have the umbrella then?"

"Because I knew it would rain eventually."

"And you still left?" Sasuke left out an exasperated breath. This woman was quickly turning into an _in_convenience. "No I understand, sometimes you just gotta get out and clear your mind. A little rain never hurt anybody anyways." The young Uchiha looked up, a small smirk curving his lips.

"Hn." Then he closed his eyes again, tilting his head up towards the ceiling. A few moments of silence floated by before he felt Akira moving around beside him. Peeking his lids lazily back open he found her curled beneath the blankets on his bed.

"I'm just gonna take a quick snooze before the storm's over and I go – I hope you don't mind." She was so entirely innocent and pure of heart it almost seemed sickening to him. Her light turquoise hair sprawled out around her on the pillow case, and you could tell settings like these weren't where she belonged. She looked prettier outside in the rain – it suited her better.

"No, go ahead." Her eyes glided shut, and it was only a few minutes before she was asleep. The raven haired male sighed, stretching out on the open space beside her but staying above the bedding. Weaving his fingers beneath his head and he closed his eyes as well. Without even realizing it was happening he too quickly fell off into unconsciousness.

"… Sas… Sasuke… Sasuke wake up…" What started out sounding like a distant calling of his name became louder and clearer until he finally realized who it was. Peeling his heavy and unwilling lids open he found himself chest to chest with the young female stranger he'd only met hours ago. His arms were tied around her waist tightly, pressing her into him as if she were a possession of his. Somehow she'd managed to end up on top of the blanket as well, giving their body's full access to one another. Despite this over familiarity she still wore a gentle and friendly smile. "Sasuke, it's time for me to go." He blinked, for the first time in a while feeling absolutely nothing – a different kind of nothing. No anger or sadness or longing for revenge; pure, clean, nothingness. So when she closed the few inches between their faces and pressed her lips to his, the only reaction he had was the loosening of his grip on her.

Her mouth molded expertly over his, and though it was short lived it tasted like a sweet candy even he would like to eat again. She pulled away slowly, a wetness now shining on both of their lips. "Thanks again for everything," she hushed before sitting up and getting to her feet. He sat up as well, watching as she collected her still damp clothes and headed for the door. He felt he had to say something, but didn't quite know what. He felt strangely compelled and drawn to her and he both hated and liked the feeling.

"Are you going to be alright?" he asked, feeling slightly awkward but none of it coming across in his voice or body language. She gave him one last show of her smile, saying,

"I'm sure you'll find me if I'm not," before walking out the door. And for whatever reason, he believed her to be right. He was certain if she were ever not okay, he would find her.


End file.
